Political notebook Dec. 1: Haslam stands by plan to cut taxes

Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam

Gov. Bill Haslam says he has no second thoughts about the tax cuts he has pushed, even as he says his next budget will be the hardest his administration has drafted yet.

Haslam raised exemptions from the Hall income tax on investments and approved plans to phase out the inheritance and gift taxes in 2012 and 2013, arguing these cuts would attract investors into the state, especially retirees.

Meanwhile, there has been a big shortfall this year - $87.4 million so far - in franchise and excise taxes. These taxes are paid by businesses, and a drop in business tax revenue seemingly runs against the governor's prediction that his tax cuts would provide a boost to the economy and state coffers.

So do the tight budget and falling tax revenue mean the governor was wrong? He doesn't think so.

"I don't think anyone would disagree that we have traffic issues," Dean told reporters after a joint appearance with Haslam. "We need to be taking actions now, because what's going to happen on West End is going to be gridlock not just in 20 years, but in a matter of a few years."

Dean suggested that dealing with Nashville's traffic should be a priority for all of Middle Tennessee and the state itself. He also expressed some optimism that state and federal leaders - as well as local naysayers - will come around to the project.

"People are adverse to change," Dean said, "but is it the right thing to do? Oh, you bet it is."

- Chas Sisk

Dean's office wins annual 'food fight'

Mayor Karl Dean's office beat Gov. Bill Haslam's staff for the second consecutive year in their annual contest to gather the most food for Second Harvest Food Bank.

Dean's aides donated 385 pounds of food per person, 40 pounds more than workers in Haslam's office. The contest is designed to draw attention to a Metro-wide food drive that collected more than 122,000 pounds of food.

Other winners include the Nashville Fire Department, which brought in 9,518 pounds of food to beat the Metro Nashville Police Department, and the Metro Arts Commission, which collected 355 pounds of food per worker.

Parks and Recreation, the Nashville Farmers' Market and the Metro Transit Authority also were recognized for their efforts to encourage public participation in the food drive.

Tennessee Education Kevin Huffman still isn't sure whether a new Metro plan that limits where charter school operators can apply in 2014 is consistent with the state's charter law. He's also perplexed by the sheer volume of discussion that Metro has devoted to charters.

Those were two take-outs from a recent Tennessean interview with Huffman for a story last week that discussed the chorus of criticism directed his way, his take on recent test gains and his decision to come here over other states.

Huffman said he hadn't spoken to state attorneys about Metro's new policy in approving charters, adopted last month. He said whether it follows the charter law - which provides eligibility to all students - probably depends largely on "an actual, specific case."

But he also said he's surprised by all the attention charter schools are receiving at Metro Nashville Public Schools, which has regularly made headlines regarding the privately operated, publicly funded schools.

"Charter schools constitute what, 5 percent of the students maybe at MNPS?" he said. "So, even if they grew substantially, it would still be a pretty small percentage of the kids. There is no way I spend even 5 percent of my time on charter schools. It seems like they are spending a disproportionate amount of their time on charter schools, which surprises me, just given all the different challenges that we all have to grapple with to try to advance student achievement."

- Joey Garrison

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Political notebook Dec. 1: Haslam stands by plan to cut taxes

Gov. Bill Haslam says he has no second thoughts about the tax cuts he has pushed, even as he says his next budget will be the hardest his administration has drafted yet.